Adjustable firearm rest comprising an irregular rotatable member

ABSTRACT

AN IMPROVED RIFLE REST FOR AIMING AND FIRING PUROSES. THE RIFLE REST TAKES THE FORM OF AN IRREGULAR ROTATABLE MEMBER FOR SUPPORTING THE FORESTOCK OF THE RIFLE, AND WHICH MAY BE ROLLED ALONG A SURFACE OR TURNED ON AN AXIS, SO AS TO RAISE OR LOWER THE MUZZLE OF THE RIFLE WITH RESPECT TO A REFERENCE PLANE. THE ROTATABLE MEMBER, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS IRREGULAR SIDE FLANGES, OR AN ECCENTRIC HUB OR RIM, SO THAT THE ELEVATION OF THE FORWARD END OF THE RIFLE MAY BE VARIED AS THE ROTATABLE MEMBER IS ROLLED ALONG THE REFERENCE PLANE, OR ROTATED ABOUT A REFERENCE AXIS, SO AS TO BRING THE RIFLE INTO EXACT ALIGNMENT WITH THE TARGET.

Nov. 23, 1971 G. E. PRICE ADJUSTABLE FIREARM REST COMPRISING AN IRREGULAR ROTATABLE MEMBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 15, 1969 Nov. 23, 1971 e. E. PRICE ADJUsTABLE FIREARM REST COMPRISING AN IRREGULAR ROTATABLE MEMBER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 15, 1969 United States Patent f 3,621,597 ADJUSTABLE FIREARM REST COMPRISING AN IRREGULAR ROTATABLE MEMBER Gerald E. Price, 9221 Bolsa Ave., Westminster, Calif. 92683 Filed Sept. 15, 1969, Ser. No. 858,054 Int. Cl. F41c 29/00 US. Cl. 42--94 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved rifle rest for aiming and tiring purposes. The rifle rest takes the form of an irregular rotatable member for supporting the forestock of the rifle, and which may be rolled along a surface or turned on an axis, so as to raise or lower the muzzle of the rifle with respect to a reference plane. The rotatable member, for example, has irregular side flanges, or an eccentric hub orrim, so that the elevation of the forward end of the rifle may be varied as the rotatable member is rolled along the reference plane, or rotated about a reference axis, so as to bring the rifle into exact alignment with the target.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Rifle rests for use during the aiming and firing of a rifle or other firearm are, in general, known to the art. However, for the most part, such prior art rifle rests are relatively unstable structures. Moreover, the prior art rifle rests are usually relatively complicated, not easily adjustable, and are heavy in construction.

I The rifle rest to be described herein, on the other hand, may be used to obtain maximum stability of the firearm, while the firearm is being aimed at a target, and in achieving extreme firing accuracy. The rifle rest of the invention also serves to relieve the person firing the rifle from the need to support the entire weight of the firearm, and thereby provides for increased comfort for the user.

The rifle rest of the invention functions in an extremely simple manner to elevate or lower the muzzle of the rifle so as to bring the rifle into proper alignment with the target. This is achieved without any need for the user fully to support the rifle, and without any need for the user to swing the forestock upwardly or downwardly in order to aim the rifle, as is the case with many of the prior art rifle rests.

1 Another feature of the invention is that the muzzle of the rifle may be brought quickly and easily into the correct vertical position. The rifle rest of the invention is simvple in its construction, and it can be manufactured at a relatively low cost. Yet, the rifle rest is strong and durable, and it may be subject to rough usage without damage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view showing one embodiment of the rifle rest of the present invention, and which is intended to be rolled along a supporting surface during the aiming of the rifle;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and showing the manner in which the rifle is supported on its forestock by the rifle rest shown therein;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation showing a modification of the rifle rest of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the modification of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing yet another modification of the rifle rest of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the representation of FIG. 5.

3,621,597 Patented Nov. 23, 1971 ICC DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the rifle rest indicated generally as 10 is intended to be rolled along a supporting surface 13 as the rifle is being aimed, and so that the rifle may be brought into firing alignment with the target. The rifle rest 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a rotatable member including a hub 11 and a pair of outwardly flared circular side flanges 12 at each end of the hub. The side flanges 12 form a supporting surface for a rifle 16, and they engage the forward end of the...

stock of the rifle 16 in a wedge-like action to hold the rifle in a steady and stable manner. As shown in FIG. 1, for example, the angle between the side flanges 12 varies from a value 0:. to a value ,6 about the perimeter ofv the hub 11.

It will be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes the rotatable member 10 having a pulley-like configuration. The central hub 11 is actually in the form of an obliquely truncated cyilnder; and the side flanges 12, mounted at the ends of the cylinder have a truncated conical configuration, as best shown in FIG. 1. The rotatable member 10, therefore, is in many respects similar to a V-belt pulley, except that the conical flanges 12, instead of being aligned as they are in the usual pulley, are effectively bent with respect to one another, so as to define a varying angle therebetween about the periphery of the hub 11.

When the side flanges 12 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 are placed on a rolling surface 13, they may readily be rocked back and forth as desired, so as to aim the rifle 16. The rifle rests against the flanges 12 in a wedge-like relationship and out of contact with the hub, as shown in FIG. 1, for reasons of. stability, as explained above. Thus, as the rifle is moved back and forth by the user, the rotatable member 10 rolls along the surface 13, so as to lower or raise the muzzle of the rifle slightly by virtue of the varying divergency of the two side flanges 12. The rotatable member 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 provides, therefore, a fine and precise aiming control for the rifle, whereby the elevation of the muzzle of the rifle may be raised or lowered so as to provide an excellent sighting and aiming control.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the rotatable member is designated 10a, and it has a slightly different configuration from the rotatable member 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The rotatable member 10a of FIG. 3 includes a hub 11a and a pair of side flanges 12a. The forestock of the rifle 16, as before, rests between the side flanges 12a with a wedge-like action, for stability purposes, and out of contact with the hub 11a.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, the angle between the side flanges 12a remains fixed, but the rims of the side flanges are eccentric with respect to the central axis of the hub 11a. Therefore, as the rotatable member 10 is rolled back and forth along the surface 13, the action is as before, with the muzzle of the rifle being raised or lowered, until the desired alignment is achieved.

The embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 generally is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, and like elements have been designated by the same numerals. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, however, the rotatable member 10 is mounted on a support bracket by means, for example, of a shaft 52. The support bracket has a generally U-shaped configuration, and the shaft 52 extends across the bracket and through the center of the hub 11.

The hub 11 is held centered on the shaft 52 by means, for example, of a pair of springs 54. In the latter embodiment, the bracket 50 is held upright in a stationary position by means, for example, of a T-shaped member 58, which also serves as a handle for the assembly when it is being transported from lace to place. The operation of the embodiment of FIGS. and 6 is similar to the previous embodiment, except that instead of rolling the member 10 along a rolling surface, it is rotated about the shaft 52. For example, the assembly may be placed on a table or other supporting structure in the position shown in FIG. 5, and the rifle placed on the rotatable member 10 and held firmly and in a stationary aiming position. Then the muzzle elevation may be adjusted vertically to bring it into exact alignment with the sighted target, merely by sliding the assembly backwards or forwards slightly on the table top, causing the rotatable member to roll along the gun barrel.

It will be appreciated that the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4, slightly modified, may also be mounted for rotation about the shaft 52, if so desired. The modification to the previous embodiment would be such that the hub 11 would be eccentrically mounted on the shaft, rather than providing the eccentric rims as in the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4.

The invention provides, therefore, an improved and simple rotatable member which serves as a convenient rifle rest. The conical configuration of the side flanges of the member supports the rifle with a wedge-like action, as mentioned above, and provides an extremely stable support for the rifle, and yet one which is easily adjustable, merely by rolling the member in a forward or back direction on a rolling surface, or by turning the member about a supporting axis, as described above.

Moreover, the improved rifle rest of the present invention is extremely simple in its construction, so that it may be sold for a relatively low price. The unit itself is strong and durable, and is subject to rough usage without damage.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotatable, wheel-like member having an axis, and including a pair of side flanges spaced along said axis,

said member presenting, between said flanges, a firearm support surface on which to rest the forestock of a firearm, and

means for effecting vertical adjustment of the portion of said surface on which the firearm rests, in response to rotation of said member about said axis.

2. A firearm rest comprising:

a pulley-like rotatable member, including a hub and a pair of outwardly flared generally circular side flanges at each side of said hub,

said side flanges forming a supporting surface for the forestock of a firearm and supporting said forestock with a wedge-like action,

said supporting surface moving said forestock in a vertical direction with respect to a horizontal reference plane as said rotatable member is rotated.

3. The firearm rest defined in claim 2, in which the angle between said side flanges varies around the perimeter of said hub.

4. The firearm rest defined in claim 2, in which the rims ofsaid side flanges are eccentric with respect to the axis of said hub.

5. The firearm rest defined in claim 2, and which includes a support bracket for said rotatable member, said support bracket supporting said rotatable member for free rotation with respect to said reference plane.

6. The firearm rest defined in claim 5 in which the angle between said side flanges varies around the perimeter of said hub.

7. The firearm rest defined in claim 5 and which includes a T-shaped handle attached to said support bracket and serving to maintain said support bracket in an upright position with respect to said reference plane.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,181,289 5/1916 Burdahl 89-36 G 2,847,909 8/1958 Kester 4294 FOREIGN PATENTS 908,108 4/ 1954 Germany 4294 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner C. T. JORDAN, Assistant Examiner 

